The Restoration of the Keidran
by MKStanley
Summary: I'm bad with titles, but I actually like the way this story is going. Trace is the Grand Master of the Templars, and he and his faithful servant, Kathrin, must discover where the machinations of the previous corrupt Grand Master lead. Can they save the Keidran race? Lemon in chapter 7.5, so you have been warned.
1. Chapter 1

Twokinds AU Chapter 1

A/N: This was originally going to be about FloraxTrace, but now I'm just fucking everything up. If we're going to go AU, might as well go all out.

I dropped into bed, the rich silk sheets enveloping me as I tried to relax my muscles. For about the past week or so, I had slowly been removing all traces of influence of the previous Grand Master, Reina. It was not an enjoyable task, but a necessary one if the Templar Order was to survive. Reina, may she finally rest in peace, had been working with dark, forbidden magyks for at least two years, and her mind had long since shattered. I could still remember the feeling of sliding my sword into her chest, could still see the darkness clear from her eyes as she slowly died.

Her final words had been a mix of apologies, instructions, and meaningless ramblings.

"Trace... I'm sorry... Tell them that I was sorry... In the tower- *cough, cough* there's a journal. Find it. I was just trying to save the Keidran." *cough*

And then she was gone, and I had taken control of the Templars. I had only meant for it to be a temporary thing, just long enough to undo some of the evils she had created, but so far no one had stepped up to take responsibility. Which meant that I was stuck with the gruesome task of seeking out the lieutenants and councilmen that had been corrupted by her in her quest for... whatever she was trying to do.

The tower that she spoke of, an unnamed obsidian fortress that emanated evil, had been sealed with dozens of spells and physical locks. Of course, if that wasn't bad enough, every once in a while the exploratory teams would come across massive stone guardians that protected important areas. We had managed to explore most of the tower, (which had been constructed during Reina's rule), but had still not found the journal.

I sighed deeply, I absolutely hated this job, and I knew it was only going to get worse as soon as things settled down and I had to wade through layers of bureaucracy and other political bullshit. I jumped as I suddenly felt a pair of hands on my shoulders, my combat instincts causing me to spin and swing my fist at whatever was near me. I made contact with a grey body and it flew to the floor as I jumped out of bed and grabbed the dagger on my nightstand. I watched as the thing rolled over to reveal a very terrified looking Keidran, and I quickly dropped the dagger and dashed over to her.

"Oh gods Kathrin, I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry, it's just I was thinking and then I felt your hands and I didn't hear you an-"

I was interrupted by her shushing me. Now, most slave owners wouldn't have tolerated this, but Kathrin was special and I was not most slave owners.

"Trace, please calm down. I should have let you know I was there. I know how jumpy you can be after a long day."

I stubbornly refused to let her take the blame for this, but I was a bit calmer now so I only said "Kathrin, no. This was my fault, and I'm very sorry and - ohmigod you're bleeding!"

She laughed, "It's a bloody nose, Trace. Don't worry about it, I'll just go wrap it."

I shook my head then lifted her up, causing her to squeal quietly in surprise. I walked back over to the bed and gently set her down on it, reaching for the magyk within me. I muttered a short healing spell and watched as her eyes widened in surprise as the blood stopped. I got up and grabbed a clean wet cloth, then returned to her side and slowly and carefully wiped the blood from her fur.

"There we go, good as new."

She looked at me, "Thank you Trace."

I smiled at her, "Just doing what's right. Now, was there something you needed?"

She instantly nodded and I sat down on the bed to make myself more comfortable. "You looked really stressed, so I thought you might like a massage."

My smile grew, she wasn't my slave, she was my best friend. I had bought her from a merchant when I had reached the age of 16. She was only 3 at the time, and the moment I saw her I knew I had to protect her. See, I was against slavery, but there wasn't anything I could do about it, so I bought her and simply refused to use a control spell on her.

"Well, if that offer is still open, I could really use one."

She bounced happily, "Of course it is! Here, trade places."

I lay down on the bed and she crawled on top of me, massaging my sore and tired muscles. I hummed my delight, and she purred in response. We were more than slave and master, and I made sure to remember to return this oh-so-wonderful favor someday. Before very long, it became too much and I drifted asleep to the sound of Kathrin purring happily as she worked.

When I woke in the morning I instantly noticed that I felt warmer than usual, but didn't realize what the cause was until Kathrin's dark fur rubbed against me. I was surprised for a moment: she didn't sleep with me when there were other beds available, but I figured she had been tired too. Plus the bed of the Grand Master Templar was probably the most comfortable bed in the land, second only to the king's.

I smiled, then climbed out of bed, careful not to wake her. I watched her for a moment and wrote her a note, leaving it on the bedside table where my dagger laid. I pulled on a set of fresh clothes and headed down to the dining hall of the castle. When I arrived I saw that it was mostly empty so I headed to the kitchens to try and collect some food to eat on the run.

My nose was assaulted by a myriad collection of smells both delicious and overwhelming, and I entered the room with the great ovens. I headed over to one of the less active chefs and tapped him on the shoulder,

"What do you want- Oh! Gr-Grand Master Trace, sir! My ap-apologies!"

He bowed his head but I waved it off, "Come on, none of that. I intend to make my tenure as short as possible. Do you have anything I can eat as I walk?"

He hesitated, then nodded, "Right this way, my lord."

I sighed, I still wasn't used to being referred to as 'sir' by the soldiers, much less 'my lord', but at least it wouldn't last that long. He handed me an orange and two legs of chicken. I thanked him and walked out, intent on getting through the rest of the tower today. As I entered the forbidding fortress and stepped on the magykal pads that would transport me to the top, I again wondered what the purpose of this massive construction was.

When the teleport finished I stepped towards the largest and most grandiose door, a red glow indicating that it's magykal protection was still in place. I sighed, then reached for it with my mind. Usually, a thing like this would take two mages, sometimes more if they were not as powerful, but I was the Grand Master, even if it was only temporary. I wasn't going to be beaten by a door of all things.

I worked for about two hours, unmoving, removing magykal wards and working around traps designed to permanently incapacitate intruders in increasingly clever and gruesome ways. Eventually, other mages began to show up in pairs or triplets and began working on other doors, but I was too focused to pay much attention to their activities. I sat and continued working, vaguely hearing other doors being opened around me.

I worked for a bit longer, submerging myself so deeply into my trance that I saw nothing but lines of script, detailing what had been done to the door to make it so impermeable. When I finally determined that it was safe, I opened my eyes to find myself alone in the tower. I was confused until I tried to move and realized that my muscles were sore from holding my meditative position for what must have been hours.

I stood and stretched, groaning as my body tried to realign itself. When I finished, I walked up to the door, senses alert as I watched for more physical traps. Finding none upon reaching the door, I smiled. I had done it. This was the top of the tower, and without a doubt the most heavily secured room, which meant that something of great value had to reside here.

I heard the slight pitter-patter of footsteps behind me and spun to see Kathrin walking up from the pad.

"Kathrin, what are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you. You were gone when I woke up and when I went to your room to check on you about half an hour ago you weren't there."

I smiled, touched by her concern. "Thanks, but I'm fine, really. I spent all of today working on this door, and I think I finally got everything."

"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's check it out!"

I chuckled slightly at her enthusiasm. Still, I was worried. I disabled and disarmed everything I could think of, but I was only one person and was only human at that. I hesitated for a moment, then expressed my concerns.

"Well, I mean... I don't know, it might be dangerous. You could get hurt, killed, or worse. I'd feel terrible if anything happened to you. Especially if it was because of me."

She frowned for a moment, "Trace, I trust you. If anything happens, you'll protect me. We've know each other literally as long as I can remember, and I know what you're capable of."

There was no way I could possibly refuse after that, so I reluctantly acquiesced, "Alright just stay close and keep your eyes open. And for Neutral's sake be careful!"

She bounced on her toes cheerfully, and I ruefully shook my head. I walked up to the door and triggered the opening mechanism, my eyes, ears, and mind open for anything wrong. The door opened to reveal a comfortable and surprisingly normal bedroom. I'm not certain what I expected but normality wasn't it.

"Well, I guess I was expecting something more... sinister."

I nodded, that sounded about right, then replied, "I guess just start looking for anything that seems suspicious."

She nodded and started looking, while I immediately went to the bedside desk to sort through the notes she had gathered. I wasn't certain what I was looking for, not precisely, but I figured that if it was important she would leave it where she worked. I dug through drawers filled with plans, reports, and other horrifyingly boring papers that were the result of being the Grand Master Templar.

I was about to give up when I noticed a faint trace of magyk emanating from the left side of the desk. I reached for it with my mind and encountered something I hadn't seen before. It was very complicated and seemed to absorb power from the desk. Wyrds of concealment and destruction flowed through the spell and I worked to disarm them.

Not long afterwards, I felt the wards fade and I opened my eyes to see a large book, bound in burnt and blackened leather, sitting on the desk. I hesitantly reached for the clasp, then jumped when it poked me, drawing slight blood. It absorbed it into itself, then the clasp opened by itself and the book flipped open to the first page

'Being the Compendium of Mekkam, Containing Knowledge of All Things, Visible or Otherwise'

I turned the page and found a note written by the Grand Master Careth, the founder of the Templar Order. I was astonished, to say the least. The Templars were over four centuries old, and I had just found a relic that had existed since it's conception.

"Kathrin! I found it!"

She rushed to me, "Found what? How do you know?"

I turned back to the title page and let her read it, but she just looked at me curiously,

"So... what is it?"

I turned the page and she read, eyes widening as she read who it was by,

"This is more than four hundred years old!"

I nodded excitedly, "Yeah! It's amazing isn't it? The time needed to prepare this and prevent it from decaying or losing its vibrancy must have been massive!"

I flipped a few pages and saw that the ink hadn't faded at all, then I brought it over to the bed and began reading. Kathrin, not being as fast a reader as I, soon gave up and began wandering the room again, looking for anything else. After a while though, she just came and lay down next to me on the bed.

"So, why haven't I heard of this thing before?"

I shrugged uneasily, "Well, most of it is stuff I wouldn't want anybody to know, much less use. More than half is black magyk and various types of evil incantations. Almost all of it is dangerous."

She nodded, "What about the other half?"

"Drawings and diagrams of the various races, explanations of natural phenomena, maps and even a few bits of useful information about the Templars and running an organization like this."

"So basically everything a Grand Master needs to know."

"Yeah, pretty much. But look at this! This is the stuff added by Reina. It looks like she was trying to find some kind of... solution to death, but that can't be right. Most of it's focused towards the Keidran, details of experiments and tests. Keidran live, what, 20 years or so?"

Kathrin thought about it for a moment, "Yeah, 25 if they're lucky."

"Reina was trying to increase that, I guess, but why?"

"I don't know. Does it say more?"

I flipped a few pages forward but found no explanation for why she was trying to help them.

"Well, whatever the reason, we might as well put this to good use. I don't like some of these scripts, but if it will help the Keidran, there's really no reason to avoid them. Of course, I should probably find out what precisely they do first. I don't want to make things worse."

Suddenly, Kathrin rolled over and hugged me. I was surprised, but not unpleasantly so.

"Eh? What's this for?"

She smiled at me, "I think I can speak for my entire race when I say thank you."

I laughed quietly, "Oh don't thank me yet. This is still in the early stages, I'm not even certain if it will work. Plus if these calculations are accurate it will require a massive amount of energy and I don't know where that's going to come from. I really haven't done anything yet."

She rubbed against my arm comfortingly, "No, but I know you will. You're clever, Trace. You can figure it out."

I was touched by her confidence, and decided that yes, I would figure it out. Even if it was only for her sake. I was concerned about some of the incantations, mostly because of their reliance on darker magyks, but I couldn't resist a good puzzle. A source of magyk would be easy to find for one person, or even an entire village, but the entire race forever? That could be figured out later, I suppose. These problems were things I could solve, and I was determined to succeed.


	2. Chapter 2

Twokinds AU Chapter 2

I'll admit that laying in bed with Kathrin, no responsibilities and no obligations, felt wonderful. But as wonderful as it felt, it couldn't last. I reluctantly rolled off the bed, drawing a questioning noise from her.

"I don't know what time it is, but it's late and I get the feeling that sleeping here would not turn out well. Let's get you home, yeah?"

She nodded, then climbed out and stretched. I began to walk back towards the main room when I heard a loud scraping sound, like the turning of a mill. I motioned for Kathrin to stay back and edged forward, eyes darting back and forth for the source of the sound. When I had a clear view of the room, I was surprised to see nothing. No movement, at least. I carefully walked forward, but there was still nothing. It wasn't until I neared the teleport pad that my combat senses tingled, subconsciously warning me of a threat.

I spun and dived, only getting a glimpse of a massive grey fist before hitting the floor. I quickly got to my feet, then watched in horror as a stone golem, one of the protectors of the tower, strode towards me. This was bad. This was really bad. My sword laid forgotten in my chambers, and a dagger wasn't going to do much against this monstrous thing.

The worst part was that every golem we had encountered so far had been unaffected by magyk. So, while I tried to develop a plan to destroy this thing, I also considered ways to make sure that Kathrin got out of here safely. I briefly considered teleporting us out of here, but I didn't want to find out what the golem would do if left alone with a room full of important and tactically useful documents.

I created a plan that, if successful, would solidify my reputation as a genius. Of course, if it failed, chances were that there wouldn't be enough left of me to classify as a bug. I called forth the magyk inside of me and began heating the air and ground around the golem to temperatures surpassing those of the great ovens I had visited this morning. It wasn't long before the golem noticed, then paused in its pursuit of me.

It looked around, as though searching for the source of the heat, then turned back towards me and began attacking again. After a few more minutes of dodging and heating, I ceased the spell and readied another one. I thought of the coldest place I had ever been, somewhere far North of here, and called another incantation.

"Aguamenti!"

Dozens of liters of water flowed from my hand, striking the golem and staggering it slightly. Nothing happened for a short moment, then a loud cracking came from massive stone construct, and it shattered into dozens of chunks. I smiled at my victory and for a minute, all was still. Right after that, I was tackled to the ground in the most ferocious hug I've ever received.

"Are you okay?!"

I grimaced at her bone-crushing hug. "I can't - exactly - breathe," she loosened her grip, very slightly, "but other than that, yeah. I'm fine."

She backed up, "I was so worried! That thing was so big and you didn't even have a weapon!"

I hugged her back, "Please, I'm fine. Better than fine, actually."

She sighed, then leaned against me, surprising me and almost causing me to fall backwards. It was about then that I realized how tired I was. Casting any spell for more than a few minutes was incredibly draining, no matter how simple it was. I pushed aside my exhaustion and swept Kathrin off her feet, causing her to yelp slightly in surprise. I headed for the teleport pad, eager to get back to the comfortable chambers of the Head Templar.

By the time we reached the castle that served as our headquarters, Kathrin was fast asleep. I garnered some odd looks as I carried her through the halls to my quarters, but I ignored them. I'll be damned if I was going to wake her up because some people didn't like my treatment of my 'slave'.

After reaching my bedchambers, I gently lowered her onto my bed, then reluctantly headed off to find some nice pillows and a blanket to sleep on. The room was actually pretty cold if you didn't have fur, but I wasn't going to sleep with her. Regardless of the fact that she had done it a few times before, it felt different when I was the one awake. I had only taken about two steps when she began whimpering in her sleep. I looked at her, her adorable sleeping form, and was surprised when she muttered my name in between cries.

There was no way I could let her dreams be restless, so I removed my outer clothing and laid down beside her, placing a comforting arm on her shoulder and crooning to her softly. Before long she calmed and I smiled, glad that I could help her with that much. I had planned to leave after she was alright, but I was tired too and she looked so peaceful that I couldn't bring myself to leave her there by herself. As soon as I made the decision, I was asleep.

The first thing I noticed when I woke was that I couldn't remember falling asleep in such a comfortable place. I could feel silk rub across my fur and something warm and comforting embraced me. It wasn't until I was more awake that I realized it was an arm, and I rolled to see that it was attached to Trace, my friend, master, and crush.

I snuggled closer to him, my back pressed against his chest, immersed in his presence. I don't know how long we laid there, but an eternity later I felt him shift behind me in wakefulness. I rolled over and found myself face to face with him, his dark sapphire eyes sucking me in and causing me to blush heavily.

"Good morning, sunshine."

I desperately hoped that my fur concealed my blush, then collected myself and spoke, "Good morning, Trace."

He smiled warmly and softly at me and I felt my heart soar.

"What a beautiful sight to wake up to. Am I perhaps still asleep?"

I practically melted into him, hugging him as closely as possible and resting in his arms. "I don't know, but if this is a dream I don't ever want to wake up."

I could feel him smile into my fur, then he hummed, sending shivers of pleasure down my spine. "Mmmm, me neither."

I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I pushed back slightly and licked his cheek. The Keidran equivalent of a shy kiss. I don't think he knew exactly what it was, but I certainly hoped he did because he nuzzled his face into my neck. A sign of affection for the Keidran; and not the kind between family members.

I would have been content to just lay there all day, but fate had other plans. A number of clanking, thundering footsteps emanated from outside the door, and Trace quickly jumped out of bed and grabbed his sword, flicking the scabbard clear of the blade in one fluid motion. The Templars may have been a mage guild, but they put a heavy focus on martial training as well.

The door slammed open to reveal six or seven fully armored Templar battlemages - the equivalent of shock troops - with various different weapons, and a combat caster at the back.

"My liege, hostile forces are at the gate!"

Trace quickly put his sword back in its scabbard, then handed it to me and began dressing in his armor. The previous Grand Master had been a female, so his armor wasn't fancy or embellished with anything valuable. I think that even if he planned on remaining Grand Master, he wouldn't change his armor. I watched his face scrunch up in confusion,

"Hostile? What enemy have I made?"

The leader hesitated uncertainly, "My lord, the previous Grand Master was not on the best of terms with any group, but she was especially disliked by the Keidran."

I watched his eyes narrow in anger,

"Of course. What kind if forces do they have? If I can't talk them out of it, what are our chances of victory?"

The captain of the guard hesitated again, obviously disliking to be the bearer of bad news,

"Sir, I - I think it would be best if you saw for yourself."

I handed Trace - now fully outfitted for war - his sword, and he thanked me with a nod before going to the window and throwing open the covers that kept out the cold morning air. I saw his eyes widen in surprise and his mouth moved wordlessly before emitting an eloquent and horrified

"Oh shit."

There were thousands of them. Tens of thousands, maybe more. And even from up here I could tell they were angry. I knew that the Keidran races rarely got along, if ever, but now I saw every species I had ever seen, along with a few others that I had only heard of, gathered outside the fortress. I could hear them chanting, and even though I was too high up to understand them clearly, the meaning was apparent. They wanted blood.


	3. Chapter 3

Twokinds AU Chapter 3

I felt Kathrin approach me, curious about the members of her race that had surrounded the castle. I knew she grasped the seriousness of our situation when I heard a barely muffled gasp. Without moving, I said to her

"Kathrin, if I can't negotiate some kind of peace with them, I want you to get to the woods. I have a small cabin there - don't ask how I got it - and it's got enough food to last for a while. Go there, and I'll find you after all this blows over, alright?"

I had no expectation of living if I couldn't talk them down, but I didn't want to tell her that. I think, however, that she knew exactly what I intended, because she shook her head,

"No."

I could practically feel the surprise and shock rolling off the captain, and I heard a heavy footstep forward. I held up a hand and the footstep remained singular. I turned to Kathrin and practically begged her,

"Please, Kat. For me. Think about it this way, if it comes to fighting, I'll just be distracted by the knowledge that you might be in danger somewhere where I can't protect you."

Her response was less than encouraging. She walked over to the desk where my dagger lay, picked it up and walked back over to me.

"Then I guess I'll have to stay where you can protect me."

I sighed, "You are resolute about this, aren't you?"

She leaned against me, "I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger if I can do something about it. At least, not alone."

I shook my head and then pulled her into a hug,

"Alright, you win this time."

I held her for a minute, then the captain of the guard cleared his throat awkwardly and asked,

"Orders, my liege?"

We separated and I looked back out the window.

"Archers and casters on the walls, battlemages and soldiers just inside the gate. As quietly as possible. I'm going to go talk to them. Maybe we'll get lucky and we can work something out."

I didn't honestly expect I could prevent a war, but maybe I could delay it for a while.

"Yes my liege."

As they ran off to carry out my commands, I turned to Kathrin. "When I go and talk to them, I need you to stay inside the walls." I interrupted her protest before it began, "If it comes to fighting I promise that I'll let you stay near me, but if they try anything I can easily get myself out safely. If I had to watch out for another person, that'd be much more difficult."

She reluctantly acquiesced and together we headed down to the waiting troops. We arrived in the inner courtyard to see hundreds of Templar troops in full armor, the plates of metal muffled by strips of cloth. I walked through them with Kathrin right on my tail, so to speak, and reached the portcullis. I looked at Kathrin and her eyes pleaded with me for a moment.

"You can watch from the battlements. I'll be fine, I promise."

She nodded nervously, then leaned forward and licked me on the cheek, leaving with a quiet "Be safe."

I nodded at the soldiers manning the portcullis wheel and they turned it, leaving me alone and fully exposed to the gathered armies. I saw people readying weapons as they prepared to fight, then heard murmurs of slight surprise as they realized there was only one man. I stepped forward and called cheerfully towards them.

"Good morning! May I perhaps speak with someone in charge?"

The men shifted uncertainly, then a large and menacing dog stepped forward, "Unless it's to discuss the terms of your surrender, we have nothing to say to you, Templar scum!"

He spit at the ground and I laughed heartily and loudly, making sure my voice carried.

"Friend, I'm afraid there may have been a bit of a misunderstanding. Whomever or whatever you're looking for is likely no longer here."

I could see him sneering at me, even from where I stood, and he taunted me, "Scared of a real fight, coward mages? Ha! I've squashed beings twice your size!"

I was beginning to think that conflict was inevitable when a large figure, tiger in shape but colored a strange yet familiar dark grey and clad in armor with a flowing red cape, stepped forward. I could instantly tell that if the Keidrans had an absolute ruler, this was he. He put a hand on the dog's shoulder and the dog stepped back reluctantly.

"And who might you be?"

I smiled and whether he saw it or not, I knew he could hear it in my reply.

"Nobody of importance. For now, however, I speak for the Grand Master."

I didn't think that they would differentiate between the current Grand Master and the previous one, so I felt no need to reveal who I was.

"Well friend, why don't you come with me and we'll have a discussion about our mutual friend the Grand Master."

I heard mutterings and grumblings from many of the assembled troops, and I realized I would have to be on my guard. I began to walk forward, simultaneously unbelting my sword as a gesture of faith. The last thing I needed was some overzealous warrior to think I was going for my sword in the middle of our camp.

When I reached the leader I handed the sword belt to him, hilt first, and he accepted it with an understanding nod.

"This messenger shall not be harmed. He is under my protection during the... negotiations. Is that clear?"

I heard a chorus of affirmations, and a few more reluctant ones, and we headed off towards the massive pavilion I had seen from the tower. Whatever was in store for me, I was ready.


	4. Chapter 4

Twokinds AU Chapter 4

He pushed open a flap on the tent and gestured for me to enter first. I obliged, then walked to the center and spun to see him fastening the flap shut. He muttered a few words and I felt the slight tingle of magyk in the air.

"There. Now we may speak in private."

I nodded,

"I'm Grand Master Trace. The one you want is Grand Master Reina, who I killed about a week ago because of her corruption due to black magyks. There's nothing for you here except pointless bloodshed."

He stood silently for a few moments, caught off-guard by my full disclosure and honesty.

"I... see. I don't think it's going to be that easy, Grand Master Trace."

I shook my head, "No, I don't think so either. But please, just call me Trace. The burdens of leadership are not something I would like to bear for long."

He nodded in understanding, "Very well, Trace. I am known as Elmarc to most Keidran."

"Then what can I do to convince your people to leave in peace?"

"They are not my people, Trace. They simply needed a leader to band together under. I only command a few tribes."

I sighed, "That's exactly what I was afraid of. What will convince them to leave? Aside from total victory or total defeat, that is."

He shrugged, a very human-like gesture for the de facto leader of the Keidran, "I know not. We came for the Grand Master of the Templar Order, the one who had kidnapped and tortured dozens of our kind, but you are not she."

I was silent for a minute, "... could they be convinced that I am?"

He had strode to a map table in the middle as I thought, but now he spun and faced me, shock in his eyes.

"You would do that? For your Templars?"

I rubbed my forehead in frustration, "I don't see much of a choice in the matter. Either I do, and you leave peacefully, or I don't and we start into a huge bloody battle that neither side will ever win. We obviously have more powerful and disciplined troops, plus the high ground, but we are outnumbered at least five to one, based on what I could see from the tower."

He said nothing in response, so I continued, "If we do this, there are a number of people I need to say goodbye to."

He nodded, then went to the tent entrance. "Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly. Many of the warriors here have personal grievances against the Templars, and they won't wait forever."

I nodded in return, then we walked in silence through the camp to the fortress. I approached the portcullis and the gate rose just enough for me to walk through. I took barely four steps before Kathrin, as expected, pounced on me.

"Are you alright? How did it go? Are they going to leave in peace? Who was their leader? What did-"

I laughed, then kissed her right on the nose. I'm not certain what possessed me to do that, but she stopped talking and blushed visibly, even through her fur.

"I'm fine, everything went well. Let's head back to the keep where we can speak more."

She nodded silently, apparently unable to speak after my unexpected display of affection. We walked into the central keep, then headed up the stairs until we reached my room. I removed my armor, piece by piece until I was just in my comfortable underclothes. After, I quickly dug out the journal that the Grand Masters had kept, them stored it in a small pouch attached to my armor. Kathrin spoke first,

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

She hesitated, "That... kiss. In the courtyard."

"Oh, did you not like it?"

She shook her head vigorously, "No it's not that. I just... what did you mean by it?"

I shrugged, "Does it have to have a meaning behind it?"

She visibly deflated and spoke quietly, "No, I suppose not."

I hated to see her sad, so I spoke quickly.

"Kathrin, you're not just a slave to me. You're not even a sister, you're much more than that. And if I'm going to be gone soon, I want you to know how much I… appreciate you."

She smiled and hugged me, burying her face in my chest. For a few moments everything was peaceful, but then she stiffened,

"What do you mean you're going to be gone soon?"

I sighed, I supposed it was better to get this out of the way.

"Kathrin, the Keidran came for the Grand Master of the Templar Order."

"I don't understand, she's dead."

"Kathrin, they aren't leaving without one. And they never knew she was a female."

Her eyes widened in understanding, "No! Trace, you can't! You didn't do anything!"

I smiled gently at her, "Yes but they don't know that. This way, they'll leave peacefully. Besides, I have a bargaining chip that I might be able to use."

She frantically grabbed me, wrapping herself around me,

"You can't leave me, Trace!"

I sighed sadly, "This is the only way to make sure that everyone, especially you, makes it out alive."

She sobbed into my chest and I felt her tears soak through my clothes. At the same time, my heart throbbed painfully at her sadness. I massaged her neck and back,

"Hey, shhh, it's going to be fine. I might even be able to trade the journal for my release. For now though, we don't need to worry about that stuff. Just… stay with me."

She rubbed her eyes and nodded, then snuggled up to me, unable or unwilling to speak. I don't know how long we were there, but after awhile her breathing slowed, signaling her descent into sleep. I gently picked her up and set her in my bed, careful not to wake her, then left a note and signed it with a heart. I whispered quietly to her,

"Goodbye, Kathrin. I'm sorry I never got to tell you that I love you."

She smiled in her sleep then rolled over and mumbled, and for a moment I feared I had awoken her, but her incoherent mutterings were the extent of her activities. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then headed out to face my doom.


	5. Chapter 5

Twokinds AU Chapter 5

I walked amongst my men, looking for the captain of the guard. Instead of finding him, however, he found me.

"My lord! Our men are in position and await your command."

I nodded, then spoke quietly,

"Captain, listen. I'm going to trade myself for a peaceful resolution. They want the previous Grand Master, but they don't know she was female, so I'm going instead."

He stood in shock for a few moments, "Sire, no! You can't! Allow me to go in your stead."

I shook my head, "I can't ask you to do that. You have a family, do you not?"

He reluctantly nodded his head, "My lord, any one of these men would gladly go in your place."

I sighed deeply, "That may be true, but I wouldn't want them to. Besides, I have a bargaining chip that may be of use. If I don't return, I want you to make sure my successor is competent."

"But... Very well, my lord."

I smiled at him, "Good man. I hate to burden you any more, but if you could also watch after Kathrin, make sure she is alright, I would be at ease and forever in your debt."

He nodded again, and I smiled more genuinely at him,

"Thank you. And now, I must go. Best of luck, Captain."

We shook hands and I departed, not eager but accepting of my fate. As the portcullis raised again, I took one final look at everything that had been my life, then spun and headed to the Keidran camp. I walked through the camp, alert and aware of every unfriendly pair of eyes that watched me. I approached the tent and was met not by Elmarc but by two armed and beefy guards.

"You, I assume, are the bodyguards of Elmarc?"

One of them watched me suspiciously while the other spoke, "What do you want, Templar?"

"I need to speak to your leader."

The speaker laughed while the other narrowed his eyes at me in suspicion.

"Oh really? And what, pray tell, could you possibly 'need' to speak to Elmarc about?"

I sighed, they were making this so much more difficult than it needed to be, "I seek to prevent a war."

"Well it's too late for that. Even if you had any authority, we don't want peace."

I decided that I was done with these imbeciles, so I located the magyk I needed and mentally prepared it.

"I am the Grand Master of the Templar Order, and you will let me pass."

As I spoke, my words burrowed into the minds of the guards and they hesitated, then nodded and pulled back the flaps of the tent.

"Trace, I'm glad to see that you've returned. Are you ready?"

I smiled, then dug out the journal. "Not quite. This is a book that contains journals, incantations, and various other types of magykal and scientific notes. The Compendium of Mekkam, if you will. But what I think is the most interesting are the additions by the former Grand Master, Reina."

I took a deep breath and continued, "Instead of trying to destroy, weaken, or enslave your race, she was actually trying to strengthen it. She was going about it the wrong way, though. And I don't actually know why she was trying to help you."

Elmarc looked incredibly confused and more than a bit surprised. "Wait, I... Hold on, wh- What?"

I touched the clasp and it opened, then I flipped to Reina's entries.

"Look at this. See all this here? And here? These are plans for a massive spell that, if successful, would essentially double the average Keidran lifespan. It could probably be adapted to Basitins, as well, but I don't know if their intolerance for magyk would get in the way."

He stared in shock for a few moments, his eyes flicking back and forth as he read Reina's notes. He closed his mouth, swallowed a few times, then blinked and shook his head.

"This is... This is amazing! We could live as long as humans! We could... We might... This might be the first steps towards equality! This could- Wait, I don't know if we have anybody capable of completing this. We have less than half the time that a human would. Even if we had time, we have no researchers. We... can't do this. There's no way. Plus, the energy required is astronomical."

I nodded, "I know. But this explains why Reina was kidnapping Keidran. Like I said - right idea, wrong methods."

A disheartened look shadowed his face, and he asked me, "So why did you bring this to me? We couldn't possibly make use of it."

I smiled, "That's true. /You/ couldn't. No Keidran could. Luckily for you all, you currently hold one of the most powerful, if inexperienced, mages in captivity. A man who also has access to an entire guild of mages and multiple libraries full of arcane texts. All in the same place."

Understanding crossed his face, then suspicion followed quickly after. "What do you want for this?"

I shrugged, "Not much, really. I like to solve puzzles, and if I can figure this one out it'll be the most fulfilling moment of my life. But first, I have to live that long."

He nodded, "I let you go, you solve our problem, we consider it even."

I smirked slightly, "I don't know if I'd consider it even, but if I get to live then sure. There's only one problem - I really don't think your people are just going to disperse."

He sighed, "I'll try and convince them. At the very least, I can buy you a few days. I know it isn't much for a project of this magnitude, but something is better than nothing, right?"

I thought for a few moments, there had to be some way to either stall them or, better yet, befriend them. I briefly considered a small blanket memory loss spell, but decided that it probably be more detrimental than beneficial.

"Alright, you handle your people, I'll handle mine. If you want updates on our progress, feel free to come talk to me. I'll probably be too busy to leave, but I'll instruct our guards that you are to be considered friendly and any attack against you will be considered an assault on me personally."

He nodded and we shook hands, then he spoke, "Good luck, Grand Master Trace. Masks be with you."

"And with you, Elmarc. If this ends without bloodshed, we'll have to feast together, you and I."

He smiled slightly, "I look forward to it." then departed to explain the situation to his troops. It was nighttime now, so I slipped out of the camp as quietly as possible, and had almost made it back to the fortress when loud yelling came from the inside of the camp. I made it to within 10 feet of the castle walls and safety when a loud voice, the same one as the first day, sounded.

"And just where d'you think you're going, traitorous scum?"

I froze, then sighed and turned around. Nothing ever went according to plan, did it?

"Back to my home, like you should be doing. I assume Elmarc explained the situation to you."

"Yeah, he did. And you know what? We can't trust you, you murderous swine!"

This was immensely frustrating, but I remained calm. I desperately hoped that Elmarc would show up soon and defuse this situation, because I had no idea how to.

"What did I ever do to you?"

He seemed taken off-guard by the question, but eventually responded, "Do they not mean anything to you? The families you broke up? The - the wives and children you kidnapped and tortured? You soulless beast!"

I frowned, he had lost his wife and... Son? Daughter? It mattered not. This was not going to be easy.

"Would they want to see you throw your life away in a pointless quest for revenge? Possibly denying your entire race the chance to live longer and become stronger?"

I must have said the wrong thing, because he stiffened and muttered something that sounded vaguely like an affirmation, then called for archers. I sighed, we were already coming to violence and it had barely been a day since they had arrived. I spun and gathered the magyk within me, preparing a defense against arrows.

"Scythe, stop! You're making a mistake!"

I saw Elmarc run out towards him, his cape flapping behind him, and I briefly thanked Ephemural for his very existence. If there was anyone that could defuse this situation, it was him. But, he wasn't quite fast enough. I watches the archers draw, breathe, release, and then there were a few dozen arrows flying through the air toward me. I was incredibly glad that individual archers were not actually that good, and just counted on massing arrows and firing on clumps of enemies, because that meant that I would actually only have to deflect a few.

I watched as they approached and began preparing a spell that would solidify the air in a fairly large area in front of me. No reason to take chances, after all. But then, I heard a familiar voice shout,

"Trace!"

I spun to see Kathrin running toward me, the portcullis lifted just barely enough for her to duck under. I instantly began running towards her, preparing a larger defensive spell. I reached her and brought her into a deep kiss, covering her and surrounding us entirely with a near impenetrable barrier. We stood, embracing, for a minute, listening to arrows ping off the bubble, but eventually they stopped. I double-checked to make sure that it was safe, somewhat, then released the magyk.

I turned back towards the assembled army, eyes burning with anger at those who at dared threaten my Kathrin, and shielded her again with my body. I spoke angrily, my voice magykally augmented to carry across the battlefield.

"Whatever Reina did to your people will pale in comparison to what I will do if you hurt Kathrin."

I began to stride angrily back into the fortress, only to be stopped by Elmarc's voice,

"Ka-Kathrin? Is that- is that you? Really you?"

She turned at the sound and peered at Elmarc, "I'm sorry... Do I know you?"

Elmarc let loose a kind of short sob, "You don't recognize me? Even after all these years I thought..." he paused, as if collecting his thoughts, "I thought you would at least recognize your own father."


	6. Chapter 6

Twokinds AU Chapter 6

A stunned silence fell across the battlefield and I stared at Kathrin for a moment, my shock matching hers, before I slowly turned around to see Elmarc standing in front of the Keidran forces, motionless. I looked back to see Kathrin mouth 'My father?' silently to herself. I was the first to recover, and as I looked I saw that Elmarc's grey fur was indeed the color of Kathrin's. Now that I compared them, the family resemblance was unmistakable. I cleared my throat uncomfortably, then said to Elmarc.

"Sir, this might not be the best place for a family reunion."

He looked at me, then nodded wordlessly and began walking towards me. A voice called out, one I hadn't heard before.

"Elmarc, wait! It could be a trap, a ploy to capture our leader!"

But Elmarc ignored him entirely. Everything was going well until the vicious dog lieutenant shouted again,

"He's been influenced by Templar black magyk! Stop them!"

It was only then that Elmarc deigned to respond,

**"No!"** his voice thundered toward the camp, not requiring any magykal help, "Scythe, just because your wife and daughter are dead does not mean that all those that were taken are!"

Scythe shrunk back at his leaders words, and even I was forced to agree that it was a bit harsh, but I wasn't about to complain. He continued,

"Now you will either order your men to stand down or for the love of Ephemural I will _make_ you!"

Scythe said nothing in acknowledgment, but he gave no further orders either, so Elmarc continued towards us as though nothing had happened. It was dead silent as we entered the castle and I escorted them to our war room. I wanted to ensure that there would be no interruptions.

We entered the chambers of the center of our order, and for a moment I questioned the wisdom of letting someone who was technically an enemy into our most secure area, but then I shook myself and realized that this man, this father, had more pressing concerns than our potential battle plans.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, them spoke up,

"Ummm... I guess you have a lot to talk about so... I'll just leave you to it."

Elmarc absently nodded his head, still staring at Kathrin as though he couldn't believe this was actually happening, and Kathrin gave a curt nod. I left the room and shut the door, triggering the anti-scrying and silence spells.

Elmarc took a seat across from her and simply studied Kathrin for a moment. It was a few minutes of awkward silence before he spoke.

"Kathrin... I don't even know where to begin. When your mother... I thought you were dead."

Kathrin finally responded quietly but you could hear undertones of anger in her voice,

"When my mother... what? Why have I been a slave all my life?"

Elmarc sighed and shifted uncomfortably before continuing,

"Kathrin, your mother and I went to a more central village to make sure that your birth went well, but on the way back we were beset by slavers. I tried to fight them off, but there were too many and I was separated from her. She fought, but that just convinced them that she couldn't be kept alive so they-" he choked up and it was a minute before he could continue, "They killed her."

She stiffened but said nothing so he continued.

"I tried to stop them, Kathrin, I tried! But I was exhausted and they outran me. Please, you have to believe me, I wanted to save you."

She relaxed slightly, then nodded,

"I believe you."

The look on his face was one of pure bliss, but it only lasted a moment before Kathrin spoke again, her voice resolute

"But it doesn't change anything. My life is here now."

He frowned, "As a slave? To a Templar?"

She nodded firmly, "Regardless of what you or anyone else thinks or says, I'm happy here.. Truly happy. I'm fed, given a comfortable place to sleep, and treated more than fairly. If I have to do a few simple chores in return, very well. Trace has even taught me to read."

Elmarc sat in surprised silence for a minute, before tilting his head curiously at Kathrin.

"You love him, don't you?"

She blushed furiously but didn't dispute it. A knowing grin grew on Elmarc's face.

"Mu daughter has fallen for the Grand Master of the Templar Order?"

She blushed an even deeper red, "Does that mean that... you're okay with it?"

Elmarc nodded, "He seems nice enough, so as long as he treats you right, then yes."

A hesitant smile appear on Kathrin's face.

"So, since he's an accomplished and intelligent wizard, should I expect little blue and grey magicians running around the place?"

The smile dropped off her face in an instant and Elmarc frowned as well,

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and she replied in a very small voice, "He - he doesn't know."

"What?"

"I haven't told him. I mean, he's the Grand Templar and... I'm just a slave. Just a Keidran slave."

Elmarc frowned even deeper, and thought a moment before replying, "Well, I'm sure that's how most people see it, but Trace isn't most people."

Kathrin remained unconvinced, so Elmarc continued,

"How long have you been his slave?"

She frowned in thought, "6 years, I think."

He blinked in surprise, "So he's been your only 'owner'?"

Kathrin nodded, "Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Look, I've seen how some people treat their slaves, and trust me when I say it's horrible. To many humans, we Keidran are just animals to be taken advantage of, resources to be exploited. But even in the short time I've been here I've seen Trace risk his own life to protect you, and just look where we are! He brought the leader of the enemies at his gate into the most secure location in his citadel. Just to give us some privacy."

He paused and took a breath,

"It seems that he likes me, to an extent, but he certainly didn't do this for me, Kathrin. That goes far beyond a master and slave relationship. In fact, I wouldn't even do something like that for my best friend, if I had one."

Kathrin sat there, hesitantly hopeful,

"So... what do I do?"

Elmarc smiled, his daughter was asking him for advice about a man. A man that he whole-heartedly approved of, no less. A prouder parent there never was.

"Just come right out and say it."

She blanched, "But... I mean... What if he doesn't love me back?"

He raised a questioning eyebrow at his daughter, "You doubt my knowledge?"

She paused, not really sure what to say, then Elmarc continued lightly, "I'm quite certain he's shown his affection before. Perhaps not obviously, but think back."

Kathrin's brows furrowed in deep thought, then her eyes widened in revelation and she slowly brought a hand up to her lips,

"He... kissed me? Twice?"

Elmarc beamed at his daughter, "Voilá! You see? He obviously cares for you far more than a slave owner should, even more than a friend should. I promise that he feels the exact same way about you as you do for him."

She was still for a moment then she lunged for him, hugging her father's waist tightly. He chuckled in surprise, then hugged her back.

"Thank you, sir- dad."

He smiled at the title, "Now, as much as I'd like to spend more time with you, I don't want to keep your mate-to-be waiting."

Kathrin blushed at his description of Trace, but she wordlessly nodded and headed to the door. Elmarc followed closely and they exited the war room to see Trace pacing agitatedly. His head twitched up as the door opened and he smiled gently at Kathrin before turning to her father without preamble.

"There's a problem."

Elmarc opened his mouth to ask what, but then his trained and sharp ears heard the distant yet distinct sounds of swords clashing. He closed his mouth and nodded determinedly, then followed Trace as he sprinted out to the main area of the castle. They arrived to see a scene of pure horror, Keidran troops throwing themselves at an impenetrable wall of Templar forces. The leaders looked at each other before nodded and simultaneously shouting.

_**"Enough!"**_

All movement stopped in the courtyard, but one Templar took the opportunity to finish off a wounded Keidran. Trace immediately thrust his hand out and a glowing stream of energy struck down the trooper, cutting off his confused and betrayed expression.

The pair glared at the gathered troops angrily, then Elmarc spoke.

"I can't believe this! I reunite with my daughter, who I haven't seen since birth, and you take it upon yourselves to start a war while I'm away! You all ought to be ashamed!"

A few troops grumbled among themselves, but most hung their heads as though they were children being berated by an angry parent. Trace simply looked at his troops and they slowly disengaged, moving to one side of the courtyard. One of the Keidran stepped forward,

"We were coming to rescue you, Lord Elmarc."

"Really? And what precisely did you hope to accomplish? Besides butchering yourselves on the obviously-superior Templar defenses?"

The grumbles faded into silence as they realized that their plan was doomed to fail. Elmarc shook his head in disgust, then turned to his daughter. They spoke in low tones and Kathrin blushed, yet again, before nodding and kissing her father on the cheek. He turned back towards his troops and walked through them, back towards the open gate.

"Men, we're done here."

They slowly followed, eyes divided between the Templars and their feet. Then, a familiar and wholly unwelcome voice sounded.

"No."

Elmarc stopped, stunned, then spun and stormed towards Scythe with fires blazing in his eyes.

_"You insolent whelp!"_

Scythe stood his ground and yelled back,

"You are weak! You've been corrupted and taken over my Templar magyks! You aren't fit to lead a squad of pups, much less an army!"

Elmarc stood face-to-face with the agitator, then he spat into the dirt at his feet.

"Your kind is the reason that we are here!"

Then he spun and, surprising everyone, drew a dagger and stabbed Scythe in the stomach. He fell to the ground, a startled and pained expression on his face, and Elmarc spoke to the assembled group.

"We cannot defeat the Templars, we cannot defeat the humans, we cannot become the rulers of this world. But we can coexist. If we do not live together in peace, we shall die a pointless death in war. I will not allow our race to fall to the prejudices of a few disgruntled soldiers, regardless of race!"

The shocked silence continued a moment longer, then the loud ringing of metal Templar gauntlets clapping cut through the still afternoon air. It was joined by another, then another, until both armies were cheering for Elmarc. Nobody took notice of the man that slowly bled to death in the dust, or of the blue-haired human that slipped off at urging of the grey-furred Keidran.


	7. Chapter 7

Twokinds AU Chapter 7

A/N: This chapter is pretty much pointless fluff, but I liked it.

I followed Kathrin closely, she said she needed to speak to me about something in private but other than that I was clueless as to what she needed. I followed her into my quarters and she fidgeted quietly as I closed the door.

"What's up Kathrin?"

She played with her fingers nervously, then sat down on my bed.

"Umm... Well Trace, I don't really know how to say this."

I smiled gently at her, but inside her words terrified me and I prayed that I was wrong.

"Let me guess, you want to go with your father to be with your own kind?"

She looked shocked, she probably didn't expect me to know that.

"What? No, Trace I-"

I cut her off, "Kathrin, if that will make you happy, then I release you. I just want what's best for you."

She was stunned speechless, probably from joy, and I walked over to her and sat on the bed next to her, forcing back tears.

"I just want you to know that I'm going to miss you. I lo-care for you, a lot, so come back and visit sometime, alright?"

I hugged her deeply, and this time my tears fell, wetting her fur. I stood up to leave, not wanting her to see me cry, but before I had made it halfway to the door she grabbed me and I turned around, confused.

"Kathrin, wh-"

I was cut off by her luscious lips crushing up against mine, her arms wrapping around my neck. My mind stopped functioning for a bit, but when it finally started working again I realized she was kissing me, my arms had somehow worked their way to her back, and so I began kissing her back. We separated far too soon for my liking, but all species need air. I pulled back and stared down into her eyes, becoming lost in their aqua depths. She blushed through her fur and looked away nervously. I could barely hear her when she spoke.

"No, Trace, I don't want to leave. I never want to leave you."

I didn't know what to say. She said that she didn't want to leave, ever, and had just thrown herself at me and attacked my lips, which meant... what, precisely? She must have mistaken my silence for disapproval or worse, disgust, because she sniffed slightly and pulled away from me.

"Um... I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. If you'd like me to... Is that offer still open?"

(A/N: If you want a lemon, skip to the next chapter. There'll be some semi-confusing overlap if you don't.)

My eyes widened in surprise, and I quickly responded.

"Absolutely not."

She looked up at me, confusion as well as overwhelming sadness in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off by slamming my lips back into hers. She squeaked in surprise and tensed, then relaxed into my embrace. I picked her up, eliciting another squeal from her but not releasing her mouth, then set her down on my bed and climbed on top of her.

I rolled to the side, not breaking lip contact, and brought her as close to me as possible, before finally taking a breath and pulling her even closer to me.

"Kathrin, if you really, truly wanted to leave, I'd be okay with that. But you wouldn't be going anywhere without me."

I could feel her smiling into my neck, and she purred faintly, an adorable sound that seemed to resonate in my chest.

"Trace..."

Hearing my name in such a loving way made my heart skip a beat, and I nuzzled her head with my chin.

"Kathrin, I think I love you."

She tensed slightly, then scooted back just enough so she could see my face.

"Do you really?"

I stared into her eyes and realized that no, I didn't think I did, I _knew_ I did. I wanted to grow old and have children with her. Both of which were challenges that I planned on achieving. I smiled at her, filling it with as much love and care as I could.

"Yes I do, Kathrin."

She smiled at me - there was no distrust between us - then leaned in for another kiss which I happily obliged her of. I once again pulled her into me and massaged her back, occasionally placing light kisses on the top of her head. I felt her breathing slow, then quiet almost entirely, letting me know that she was asleep.

I chuckled in my head, she really was cute when she wasn't awake. Of course, I amended, she's absolutely adorable when she is awake, as well. I laid in bed and cuddled - yes, I hate to use the term but she's worth it - her peaceful form but remained wide awake even though it was somewhat late. About an hour later, I heard the sound of the outer door to my quarters opening, but decided that I wasn't going to move unless it was actually important.

I heard two knocks and called quietly.

"Enter."

My second command swung open the door and spoke,

"Sir, the Keidran..."

He trailed off as he saw me in bed with Kathrin. He must've made an incorrect assumption because a slight embarrassed tint colored his cheeks.

"A-apologies, my lord, I meant no intrusion."

I chuckled quietly at him, "You presume too much. She is tired from the day's activities, not the night's."

I extracted myself from her arms, being very careful not to wake her, then stood and walked to my second-in-command. I gave one last loving glance to my sleeping... mate, the beckoned him out of the room.

"Come, let us not disturb the fair maiden."

He awkwardly nodded his understanding, then exited with me close behind. I closed the door quietly with one last smile towards my beloved, then turned to him.

"Now then, where were we?"

He inhaled, then spoke quickly.

"The Keidran are divided into two main factions, those that wish to make peace with us and those that would see us destroyed. About an hour ago, there was a disagreement, and weapons were drawn."

He took a deep breath to steady himself, then delivered the news that I suspected would be bad.

"It's a full-blown civil war, and the ones that would be with us are outnumbered, significantly. They'll likely be wiped out within the week, if not sooner. There's already been dozens of casualties and - if current reports are to be believed - your... mate's father is among them."


	8. Chapter 7 5

Twokinds Lemon

A/N: Alright, well, I've never written a lemon or anything remotely smutty before, but I figure everybody needs to write one, for the experience if nothing else. At any rate, wish me luck, (as much as I hate to say it, I've never has sex myself so most of this is based off the few other lemons I've read.) And yeah, I'm definitely old enough to be writing this. And to be drinking. And all that other good stuff. *Shifts nervously* Eh heh, yeah.

Also, in case I failed to make it clear enough, this chapter is essentially PWP, and if you're underage or don't want to read smut, or even if you finished the previous chapter in its entirety, just skip this chapter. Really.

She refused to meet my eyes, but I suddenly felt a strong sense of self-loathing for causing her to sound so... crushed. I growled at myself - unfortunately loud enough for her to hear me - and my anger must've carried over to my tone when I spoke.

_"No."_

She looked up and flinched fearfully,

"Please! I'll never... you'll never have to see me again! I don't... I'm sorry!"

I pushed her up against the wall roughly, yet careful not to cause any pain. I wanted to be angry at her for thinking I wanted her gone, but I couldn't manage it. I purred her name into her ear,

"Kathrin, I am never going to let you go. In fact, I plan on making you mine at the soonest possible opportunity."

She gaped at me in surprise for a moment, before blushing furiously when she understood my intentions.

"Ah, Trace- What do you..."

She trailed off as I begun nuzzling her neck with my face, stopping occasionally to alternate between planting light, teasing kisses and more passionate and arousing (if her cute moans were anything to go by) ones. While she was distracted by the attention I paid to her neck, I slowly and subtly massaged lower and lower on her back, until I was rubbing her perfect little ass. Under different circumstances, I probably would have commented on the smoothness of the fur on said ass, but there really wasn't a romantic way to do so.

I eventually returned my mouth to hers, and this time we traded saliva, out tongues wrestling for control. I was surprised at how hard she fought - I was glad to see that being a slave for her entire life hadn't broken anything about her - but eventually I was victorious. She moaned into me as I gently squeezed her firm hindquarters, and I almost couldn't prevent myself from taking her right then and there. I reluctantly pulled away, breathing deeply and rapidly, then trailed a hand around her leg and slowly drew it up her leg and up to her chest.

The light grey fur was no longer quite enough to hide her perky nipples, so I leaned down and flicked the tip of one with my tongue, tweaking the other with my free hand.

My other hand slowly glided away from her ass and I spread her legs, using a knee to support her. My hand moved towards a much more sensitive area and she squeaked lightly when I found it. I brushed the fur covering her lightly, causing her to try and squirm into my hand, but I refused to let her. I slowly brought a single finger into contact with her lips and she gasped. I trailed my finger up the outside of her snatch, not using any significant pressure, and finally stopping just before the nub at the top.

She suddenly moaned, a low and incredibly hot sound, as I gently rubbed against it, massaged it with a thumb pad. She was less like putty in my hands and more like jello, barely able to remain standing. I continued my assault on her breasts, then slid the very tip of my index finger into her, causing her to flinch, tense, and cry out as she orgasmed. She collapsed into me and I placed a gentle, loving kiss on her cheek before picking her up and carrying her to the bed.

I climbed into bed next to her and wrapped my arms around her as she shuddered and panted, trying to dispel the heat from her body.

"Oh... Ah... Oh God, Trace... That was- that was amazing."

I made small circles on her back, calming her until she was capable of coherent thought. I didn't want to ask my next question, but seeing her face contorted into an expression of pure ecstasy had increased my desire to have her by tenfold.

"Kathrin, how far are- How far do you want to go?"

She hesitated, then smiled lovingly and sensually at me, causing my heart to race again.

"Trace, you've taken care of my for as long as I can remember, and I've loved you the entire time. I've wanted this for a long time."

This wasn't my first time with a woman, but it was my first time with a Keidran, and I had certainly never loved anyone like I loved Kathrin. I returned her passionate gaze, then began to strip off my own clothing. She blushed furiously at the bulge in my underwear, then gasped as I removed them, allowing my 7 inches of man some much-needed air.

"I've never, erm, seen one before. Is that thing really going to be inside me?"

I smiled at her, gently and soothingly,

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded instantly,

"Then I promise that there won't be any pain by the end of the night."

She inhaled and exhaled deeply, calming herself, then nodded to me. I crawled on top of her and as soon as we were face-to-face I forced my tongue into her mouth, wanting to hear more of her moans. I took my time, then prodded her folds with my member and reveled in my ability to make my lover squirm and moan. I gently chewed her earlobe, then whispered into her ear,

_"Beg for it. Tell me how much you want me."_

The change was instantaneous, she dug her claws into my back and hissed at me,

"If you are not inside me in the next ten seconds I will-"

She was cut off by a wave of pleasure and pain as I thrust inside her, only getting in a little ways until meeting a weak barrier and stopping. She growled, and I kissed her gently,

"This is going to hurt a bit, Kathrin."

She looked into my eyes and whispered to me, in a more normal tone,

"I love you, and I trust you Trace. There's nobody I'd rather have with me right now than you."

I smiled at her words, then placed a soft kiss on her lips and thrust, nearly hilting myself and causing her to flinch at the loss of her virginity. She groaned in pain and I massaged her neck and shoulders, allowing her to adjust to the foreign intrusion.

After a couple of minutes she nodded to me and I carefully drew back, then slammed back into her, causing her to moan in combined pain and pleasure. I repeated my actions, a little faster this time, and we fell into a rhythm, the night silent except for our heavy breathing and the occasional moan of pleasure. Some time later, I began to feel a familiar buildup in my crotch, and changed the pace, increasing how fast and how hard my thrusts were until I was slamming into her, filling her entirely, as fast as I possibly could.

Another minute, and she came, crying out in pure, unadulterated ecstasy, and clenching around my member, bringing me to my own climax. I collapsed on top of her, trying to keep the majority of my weight off of her. I slowly pulled out, then rolled off of her and studied her beautiful figure. From less than an arm's length away.

She let out a long, shuddering sigh and I smiled at how she could seem so innocent even in the afterglow of our lovemaking. My naked body rubbing up against hers had transferred my sweat to her fur, giving it a mussed and shiny look, and I could feel love - of every kind - pulsing between us.

"Kathrin?"

She looked at me and I was overwhelmed by the look in her eyes; nothing but contentment and happiness for me.

"Ye-yeah?"

"I love you. Entirely and completely. No matter what happens I promise I'll always take care of you."

She snuggled up to me and purred happily, and I held her close, enjoying the feel of her fur on my bare skin. For the next few hours we merely laid in bed. Eventually, however, I heard the tell-tale sound of the outer door opening, and I casually and unhurriedly began putting clothes on. I was about half dressed when the door was knocked twice.

"Enter."

My second-in-command walked in, speaking as he did so.

"Sir, the Keidran-"

He stopped when he saw Kathrin in bed, my state of relative undress, and my hair jutting out at odd angles, almost as if...

I saw his eyes widen as he put the pieces together. I silently put a finger over my lips and be spoke in a much quieter tone.

"Err... My apologies, sir. I hope I did not interrupt anything."

I smiled at him, "Don't concern yourself. Let's take this outside, where we don't have to worry about waking Kathrin."

He nodded, understanding my logic but seeming slightly confused at my motives, and we headed out of my personal chambers and into the main section of the tower.

"Now then, where were we?"

He inhaled, then spoke quickly.

"The Keidran are divided into two main factions, those that wish to make peace with us and those that would see us destroyed. About an hour ago, there was a disagreement, and weapons were drawn."

He took a deep breath to steady himself, then delivered the news that I suspected would be bad.

"It's a full-blown civil war, and the ones that would be with us are outnumbered, significantly. They'll likely be wiped out within the week, if not sooner. There's already been dozens of casualties and - if reports are to be believed - your mate's father is among them."


End file.
